This past week, the NAACP and National Urban League held their annual conventions. SCLC will hold their convention in August. All of these organizations have said that voting rights and voter suppression will be on their agenda. This is great, but what about the cause for voter apathy?

All of the above mentioned organizations need to admit their role in causing the high rate of voter apathy in the African-American community.

In Birmingham, Ala., the city some consider the home of the civil-rights movement, voter participation is at a shamefully low level. Recently there was an election for the county commission in Jefferson County. Last fall, there was an election for the mayor, city council, and board of education. In both cases, less than 30% of the registered voters participated. This is what occurred in a city famous for church bombings and water hoses on children. So with all the history for people fighting to obtain the right to vote, why then is the voter turnout so low?

The first reason is the failure of the above organizations to criticize the people they endorse for office. In the 60's and 70's, there was a concerted effort to get African Americans registered to vote. Because of these efforts, many African Americans were elected. Black mayors, sheriffs, commissioners, city council, school board members and other officials proudly took office for the first time. As time passed, it was apparent that many of these people were not the ones needed for those offices. These organizations failed to condemn those who did not carry out their responsibilities. The result has been failing schools in our communities that are adverse to the intent of Thurgood Marshall and the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

In many cases, we have public services that are deplorable. We have allowed black elected officials to do things that we would have caused the black leadership to march.

There is a high level of distrust within the black community that has allowed failure and the acceptance of mediocrity to go. Those who choose to be leaders are going to have to show they are willing to attack the unpopular issues as well as the popular issues if they want to regain credibility.

These are the issues Bill Cosby was addressing at the NAACP a few years ago when he was vilified. We need to address these issues before our community is destroyed.

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